Draw-bar attachment for cars



(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1,

P. BROWN.

DRAW BAR ATTACHMENT FOR GARS.

Patented Nov. 22, 1892.

(No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. BROWN. DRAW BARl ATTACHMENT FOR CARS.

Patented Nov. 22, 189Z.

\ (No Modem y 3 Sheets-Shet 3.

P. BROWN. DRAW BAR ATTACHMBNTFOR GARS- No. 486,427. APHALG'n'ted Nov.Z2, 1892.

un mw draft guide-iron.

PArEivTA OFFICEr i PERRY BROWN, OF'SHARONVILLE, OHIO.

DRAW-BAR ATTACHMENT FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,427, dated'November 22, 1892.

Application filed March 12, 1892. Serial No. 424.697. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY BROWN,a citizen of the United States, residingat Sharonville, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inDraw Bar Attachments, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This improvemennt relates more particularly to that class of draw-barattachments known as continuousfi and is designed to render the draw-barand its connecting parts much more durable than heretofore.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and.combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described, and thendenitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a reversed plan of the timbersand draw-bars of a car. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of oneof the draw-bars on the line x c in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontallongitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4 is a similar section of thedraw-bar on the right-hand end of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a perspective Viewof the bolster. Fig. 6 is a similar View of a divided bolster. Fig. 7 isa similar view of a long Fig. 8 is a similar view of a shorter draftguide-iron. Fig. 9 is an end elevation with the coupling in section.Fig. l0 is a cross-section through the center of the bolster. Fig. 1l isa perspective view of a' follower-block.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, A represents thelongitudinal sills of the car, B the cross-sills, and O C O2 bolstersthereof, which are shown in different forms, C and O being of metal andC2 an ordinary wood bolster. The metal bolster is shown in twodifferentforms in Figs. 5 and 6, that shown in Fig. 5 being in one piece, whilein Fig. 6 the bolster proper is shown in two parts, connected by abolster-plate. The metallic bolsters are preferably made of malleablecast-iron, but may be made of pressed steel or channel-iron, at the willof the maker, and are provided with recesses c to receive the sills A.Beneath the bolster and between shoulders c is set the bolster plate D,having the circle CZ to fit in the truck-plate, (not shown,) a hole dfor the king-bolt, and projecting ribs cl2, which embrace the bottom ofthe bolster, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

E E are the couplings, which may be of any approved form, but preferablyof the twinjaw variety, and having a toe e at each side of the innerends. The couplings are pivotally connected to a yoke F, which in oneform of my improvement receives another yoke G, (see Fig. 3 andleft-hand end of Fig.1,) which passes on each side of the kingbolt H andis connected to a rod I, which is also connected to the other couplingat the opposite end of the car. The yoke F has its ends turned down, asshown atf, to fit around over projections e on the top and bottom of thecoupling, by which means much of the strain is taken off the pivot ofthe yoke F. In this yoke is set the follower-blocks J, which arehollowed out to receive the spring K, and thus serve the purpose ofprotecting the spring and preventing the coils from climbing on each`other and thus spoiling the spring, which so frequently occurs whenthere is no means of preventing said climbing. The ends of these blocksmove in recesses Z, formed in guide-irons L, which may either beattached to draft-timbers M, as shown in Fig. 4 and the right hand ofFig. l, or they may be made as shown in Fig. 7, in which case they willbe long enough to dispense with the said draft-timbers M, as shown inFig. 3 and the left-hand end of Fig. l. These draft-timbers or draftguide-irons, as the case may be, are bolted to the sills by bolts andnuts N, which bolts also pass through straps O, which are bent up overthe front of the cross-sills at one end and bolted thereto, as shown,and are extended backward under the bolster and bolted to thelongitudinal sills at a. In some cases, however, the straps O are simplybent up for a short distance over the end of the guide-irons, as shownin Fig. 2, and are therefore not bolted to the front of the cross-sill.

The front end of the coupling is supported by a stirrup P, bolted at pto the cross-sill and passing under draft-timbers or guideirons, as thecase may be. Between the crosssill and the coupling, and between thecoupling and stirrup, are removable wearing-plates Q Q', which may beremoved when worn and' ICO replaced by others, and thus the stirrup isprevented from being worn by the motion of the coupling. The end of theplates Q Q are bent down or up, as the case may be, so as to clasp thedraft timbers or irons according as one or the other maybe employed.Besides this purpose, the plates Q may serve to receive the force of thelugs c on the top and bottom of the coupling, which, although normallyout of contact with the plates Q, may come in contact with them shouldsome of the other connections accidentally give way.

The draft-irons when made long enough, as in Fig. 3, are provided withspring-plugs R, set in cylindrical projections S, containing springs s,which are so arranged as to tend to keep the couplings Ein the centralor normal position.

The follower-blocks J have their ends recessed, as shown, for twopurposes--viz., to lighten the same and to receive cushions of rubberj.The spring K and the recesses made to receive it are so proportioned toeach other that while allowing aproper amount of movement under thevarying strain the coils of the spring cannot climb over each other, asthe blocks when closed together form a cylindrical receptacle for thespring, which is slightly longer than said spring when its coils are allin close contact. Underneath the yoke F are set two short cross-bars T,which serve to retain it and the follower-blocks in place. By removingthe nuts or bolts which retain these in place the blocks J J mayberemoved.

In that form of my invention shown in Fig. 4 and theright-haud end ofFig. 1, the ordinary bolster and draft-timbers are employed. To thedraft-timbers the draft guides or irons L are bolted, as shown clearlyin Fig. 4. The back of the irons have projections Z', which tit intogrooves cut in the draft-timbers, and their lower edges have notches Z,which receive the cross-bars T. Instead of the equallydividedfollower-blocks shown in Fig. 3, Iemploy a large block J and a smallerone J the former having a deep receptacle for the spring K and thelatter having a plungerj, acting on said spring, said receptacle, plun`ger, and spring being so proportioned that no damage can come on thespring from their coils climbing. In this case the yokeF consists of twostraps pivoted to the couplings E in the same manner as the yoke F, butconnected at their inner ends by a pin or bolt f', which passes throughan eye t on the end of rod I, suiiiciently long to receive the king-boltalso and yet allow the necessary play. In some cases I run bars U, whichextend from one bolster to the other, so as to provide further strengthshould it be thought desirable or where extra-heavy cars are used.

The bolsters are provided with truss-rods V, which pass over the twocentral sills through the next ones to them under the outer sills andthrough the ends of the holsters, where they are secured by nuts,whereby a very strong bolster is made with but little metal. At c I showantifriction-rollers, which will serve to relieve friction between thebolster and truck.

I deem it important that the inner end of the draw-bar or coupling andthe outer face of the follower-block be squared olf, for in that casethe spring K will tend to keep the draw-bar in its central position,even if the spring-plugs R should fail for any reason. To make thisadditionally sure, I prefer to form the rear end of the coupling withtoes e, as shown in Fig. 4, in which case the springplugs may bedispensed with; but both the toes and the spring-plugs may be used, ifpreferred. I have shown the rubber cushionsin two separate pieces; butit is evident that there may be a single piece of rubber on each sideextending into both blocks. In some cases I may substitute rubber forthe spiral spring K.

I. In a draw-bar attachment, a pair of follower-blocks having areceptacle for the spring longer than the length of said spring whenclosed and opening transversely of the same, substantially as described.

2. In a draw-bar attachment, a pair of follower-blocks, one being areceptacle for the spring and the other having a plunger for acting onthe spring projecting from it and extending into and working Within thereceptacle inclosing the sprin g, substantially as described.

In a draw-bar attachment, a draw-bar, a con necting-rod between it and asecond drawbar at the opposite end of the car, a pair offollower-blocks, a spring between them, and a yoke pivotally connectedto the rst-mentioned draw-bar, passing above and below saidfollower-blocks and connected with the drawbar on the opposite end ofthe car, substantially as described.

4. In a draw-bar attachment, a draw-bar, a connecting-rod between it andasecond drawbar at the other end of the car, a pair of follower-blocks,a spring between them, and a yoke arranged above and below said blocks,connected to a second yoke secured to said connecting-rod, substantiallyas described.

5. In a draw-bar attachment,apairof drawbars, and a rod connecting saiddraw-bars having an oblong eye through which the kingbolt and a boltconnecting it with one of the draw-bars pass, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a draw-bar attachment, a bolster having an opening in its centerto admit the passage of the draw-bar connections and provided withantifriction-rollers, substantially as described.

7. In adraw-bar attachment, apair of guideplates having notches on theiredges to receive cross-bars running from one to the other and under thedratbtimbers, substantially as described.

S. In a draw-bar attachment, abolster having a central aperture for thepassage of the IOO a pivotal connection near the front end of saidfollower-block, and a spring pressing said draw-bar and follower-platetogether, whereby the draw-bar is returned to its'central position bythe power of the spring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 11th day of March, 1892.

PERRY BROWN. Witnesses:

THos. E. ROBERTSON, W. H. BARNES.

